© astrolame

Indianapolis-based sign-making firm Sport Graphics had more trucks in Dallas for the Super Bowl then it does in its hometown, as the company has hit the jackpot when it was signed by the NFL to help design, manufacture, and install all of the signs for the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas. That is a total of over 300 signs within a tight deadline, and it's the first time that the league has contracted with a single company to do all of its Super Bowl sign work.

This is by far the company's biggest deal ever, with a price-tag in the six figures that is significantly larger then Sport Graphics NCAA Final Four contract. The scale of the job was huge, and it represented a stretch for the companies capabilities. But NFL league officials have expressed satisfaction with the final result, stating that the signs have have a very good "look and feel".

© Dominic's pics

Some business owners are complaining about the city of Tucson, Arizona's sign code, which they say is not business friendly because it restricts huge roadside sign writing. However, many area residents do not want gigantic signs spoiling the area's breathtaking desert panoramas, and on top of that the sign code critics have little data to point to showing that giant signs actually bring in more business than code-compliant signs.

Palm Springs, California is a good example of a city that has had a similar sign code for years and yet has lots of business. When one visits Palm Springs, the short, tasteful signs and almost complete lack of billboards is immediately impressive. Some argue that in this modern digital age giant signs and billboards are dinosaurs. That doesn't mean that a tasteful, readable sign cannot be a useful component of a marketing plan, however.

© ninastoessinger

Once a business reaches a certain size, it needs some considered strategies to get it to the next level. If your workload has been growing but profits are not keeping pace, then its important to be more strategic about what work is worth your time and effort.

For example, a sign writing company knew that they made little profit on most single sign jobs, so they developed a relationships with a small sign writing business and referred one-off single sign requests to them. This strategy immediately increased profitability and freed up a lot of time that the company could spend on securing large and repeat-customers instead. By focusing on product or service profitability, you ensure that all of your projects are earning their keep. Any that aren't should either be revised if possible or phased out altogether if no fix is evident.